I have been enjoying mindless knitting this summer, possibly because I'm working to improve my sewing skills -- and that is no easy task!
I finished a Hitchhiker made from a series of very-mini skeins. I haven't blocked it yet, but it still looks fine. I like the crazy colors, but I'd hesitate before giving this as a gift!
And I immediately started a Find Your Fade. The yarn in Fresh From the Cauldron Freyr Sock (colorway: A Rose by Any Other Name).
I haven't had much time for social knitting, but I did have lunch and knitting with my friend Marsha. She is so photogenic it's hard to be her friend!
I interrupted my reading when an ebook came through on my Kindle: Fascism by Madeleine Albright, which Marsha recommended. It's a pithy history of fascism, and I'm sure it links the past to the present -- I'm just not that far yet.
Scary fact: The term "drain the swamp" comes from Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini.
I'm linking up with Kat today for Unraveled Wednesday.
So I am back in Madison for one day before I fly to Miami to meet my daughter tomorrow. Then on Monday we head to Budapest. I won't have a computer to read blogs on, and I don't own a tablet. I just don't want you to think I'm ignoring you!
There was plenty of knitting Up North, and it's all in my favorite colors. Here is the beginning of a Sockhead Hat:
And here is the Free Your Fade Shawl nearing the end. I finally got to the dark blue. I should say that I've used this pattern more as a recipe, and I've adapted it to use all the gradient yarn, with the dark colors thrown in.
Both projects use Knit Circus gradient yarn. I just love this stuff!
I did a few sketches, not all successful. I don't have a lot of experience with landscapes. I was OK with this sketch made south of Grand Marais:
Here's one last look at our cottage on Lake Superior.
I've had friends from the coasts who are underwhelmed by Midwestern landscapes, but I love the boreal forest, the deep greens, the shapes of the conifers, the accents of the occasional birch trees. In some ways, I'd love to live Up North, but it is SO far from everyone and everything else in my life.
The recuperation from my surgery is not as painful as the doctor had predicted, so of course I'm relieved about that. I am housebound and not really up for visitors, but I can manage knitting.
I pulled out these three colors for my Free Your Fade shawl.
I'm not sure if I'll use all three or just the gradient and the blue. I'm going to see how it looks when I get to the first "fade." So far, the gradient is just gorgeous! And it matches the project bag -- one of the many that my sweet MIL has made for me.
I set up another Tchaikovsky Hat before my surgery. It's such an easy pattern and I had the perfect yarn: a skein of Casual Fashion Queen in Bohemia.
This might be my favorite colorway of all time.
While I'm not up to visitors, I do appreciate it when Nagi and Kola keep me company.
It's actually been cool here so I've enjoyed having them on my lap.
At the rate I'm recovering, I'm going to have to start doing useful things soon, but I'm trying to enjoy this "vacation" while I can.
